A
statement of principles by the Iraqi National Coalition. The
document is undated but it was posted (in English) on the
organisation's website on 12 January 2002

Introduction

Iraq, the cradle of civilisation,
and the land between two great rivers, Tigris and Euphrates, is
ruled by a brutal and ruthless totalitarian regime. It is in fact
the most violent and oppressive regime in the history of mankind,
which virtually has no respect or consideration to basic human
rights. Furthermore, the Iraqi regime committed war crimes and
barbaric crimes against humanity including genocide against its
own people.

Iraqi regime waged a savage
internal war against the Kurdish Liberation Movement, and a
devastating war of aggression against the Islamic Republic of
Iran. It invaded and annexed Kuwait, a sovereign, independent
country and a member state of the United Nations. More than one
million Iraqis were killed, the country’s economy crippled and
the hopes of millions of Iraqi people shattered. Saddam’s
decision to invade Iran and annexe Kuwait was a personal
miscalculation based on ambition and a sense of adventure.

Saddam Hussein, the nightmare of
every Iraqi, has defied the International Community and violated
all United Nations ceasefire resolutions including (687) and (688)
of 1991. These resolutions demanded the immediate cessation of
Saddam’s regime terrorist activities and internal repression as
a necessary means to establish regional peace and security.

The Iraqi regime has
systematically destroyed Iraq’s civil society, upon which the
very Iraqi nationhood is based. It targeted particular national,
ethnic, cultural and religious groups, in order to divide the
Iraqi people, and eliminate the natural cohesion of family life
and faith.

The indiscriminate mass killing
and executions of thousands of Iraqi Kurds, particularly during
the infamous al-Anfal campaign, the disappearance of thousands of
members of the Barazani tribe, the fate of whom remains unknown to
this present day, the destruction of thousands of villages, the
assassinations, and poisoning of their national and political
leaders and the chemical attack on Halabja and other major towns
in Iraqi Kurdistan which killed thousands of civilians are well
documented. This poison attack was the largest scale chemical
weapon attack against innocent civilian population in modern
history. Thousands of Faily Kurds have endured similar
persecutions, and were forced into exile. These atrocities clearly
indicate that the actions of the Iraqi regime against the Kurds
are tantamount to an official policy of genocide.

In addition the Iraqi Turkomans
and the Assyrian Christians, were subjected to atrocious treatment
and suffered greatly from the regime’s chauvinist policy of
Arabisation and oppression. They have been deprived of their basic
human and cultural rights, denied and stripped of their
citizenship, robbed of their property, murdered, assassinated,
demographically displaced and driven in thousands into exile. Many
ancient Assyrian Christian churches and monasteries have been
demolished. Christian villages and cemeteries have been razed to
the ground and the land, thereafter, was deliberately converted
into army barracks.

In the South, military attacks
against civilian population, are a daily routine practice, and are
continuing without interruption, in a very alarming way, and in
the most gravest nature. The Iraqi Arab tribes (al-Asha’er) of
central Euphrates have been subjected to all sorts of
persecutions, intimidations and harassments. Their leaders
continuously threatened in order to give their allegiance to the
regime.

The draining of Marshes of the
Southern Marshland, through Saddam’s canal known as the
"Third River," or "The Leader’s River," has
systematically destroyed natural farmland, causing environmental
disaster, and devastation to health, wealth and culture of the
ancient Marsh Arabs. Thus, a way of life that has lasted for
thousand of years has disappeared and hundreds of unique
settlements, which have remained, probably, unchanged since the
Biblical times, have been destroyed.

The majority Shi’ite population
have seen their prominent clergy and religious scholars placed
under severe restrictions, arrested, tortured, brutally killed and
assassinated. Their famous sacred shrines and ancient religious
schools, places of study, worship and burial destroyed and
blasphemed. Following the defeat of the Iraqi popular uprising in
the south, thousands of Shi’ite were savagely slaughtered and
barbarously massacred. Over 450,000 Iraqi Shi’ite have been
denied their national rights. Their properties confiscated and
they were forced into exile.

Even closest friends and relatives
of Saddam did not escape the wrath of his reign of terror, these
includes high ranking members of the Ba’ath ruling party, top
military officers, members of Sunni tribes, as well as members of
Tikriti clan and his family members. There are currently, four
million Iraqi refugees and asylum seekers outside Iraq, many of
whom were tragically killed in their endeavour to reach a safe
haven.

The Iraqi Kurds, eventually,
managed, to effectively, establish regional governments in most of
the traditionally Kurdish areas of Iraqi Kurdistan with many
democratically elected assemblies and institutions, in order to
serve all the people of the region including Assyrians and
Turkomans, Christians and Muslims alike.

However, it is only the threat of
the allied military retaliation that protects this liberated zone
from renewed Iraqi regime’s attacks. We believe that such
attacks will have devastating results to the Kurdish people. The
Iraqi Kurdish population and their political leaders, are well
aware, of these threats posed by Saddam and his vicious regime, to
their very existence and to the progress that have been achieved
over the past ten years.

To preserve its rule in the face
of ever-growing opposition, the Iraqi regime has virtually,
"legalised" all that is inhuman in Iraq.

It pursues a policy of brutal
repression and physical liquidation and elimination of its
opponents from all walks of life. Saddam’s ethnic, sectarian and
national oppression, continuous suppression and arbitrary
persecutions of the Iraqi people, are contributing to extreme
regional instability. Saddam’s regime of terror has maintained
the Equality Policy in oppression, suppression, persecution
and destruction of the entire population without Discrimination.

We should like to draw attention
to the fact that, the Iraqi intelligence agents and mercenaries
are becoming increasingly active outside Iraq. The death threats,
attempted assassinations, and the spreading of fear and terror
among regime’s opponents and their families, are on the
increase.

Leading members of the Iraqi
National Coalition and other well-known members of the Iraqi
opposition movement, have been the targets of such threats, and
attack in various Arab and European countries. They are,
therefore, under police protection.

These acts of international
terrorism undertaken by the evil regime of Saddam Hussein against
his opponents will only increase our determination to pursue our
people’s noble goal to uproot this monstrous regime from our
country for good.

The glorious March 1991 uprising
remains the source of encouragement and inspiration for our Iraqi
people to continue their resistance and just struggle against
dictatorship and for freedom and democracy.

Definition of The Iraqi National
Coalition:

In Mach 2000, prominent Iraqis
inside Iraq and Iraqi exiles throughout Europe, the United States,
Canada and the Arab world have agreed a framework for an umbrella
organisation to co-ordinate the opposition against the present
regime in Iraq with a united political front. This front is today
known as The Iraqi National Coalition. This organisation is
intended to co-ordinate its efforts with all Iraqi opponents to
Saddam’s regime throughout the world within the framework of
achieving a democratic Iraq.

The Coalition firmly believes that
the commitment to human rights is a fundamental principle and a
necessary requirement for achieving freedom, social justice, civil
rights, virtues of tolerance and peaceful co-existence among the
various national, ethnic, cultural and religious communities of
our diverse, but united, Iraqi society.

The Coalition is open to all
pro-democracy Iraqi nationals. It incorporates Iraqi Christians,
Muslims, Kurds, Turkomans, Assyrians, as well as other Iraqi
tribes, intellectuals, military figures, writers, academics and
women’s groups, who are represented within the organisation by a
democratically elected body based on the principle of universal
suffrage and one member one vote.

The Coalition is not a
substitute for political parties and groupings already
established, but it is an attempt to maximise opposition efforts
and effectiveness in support of our people’s just struggle to
overthrow dictatorship and establish the rule of law within a Constitutional,
Democratic, Pluralistic and a Federal Iraq, in which social
and judicial justice and equality for all Iraqis, regardless of
their national, ethnic, political and religious diversity, will be
insured.

Our struggle is against one of the
most vicious, cruel and evil regime in the history of mankind. Our
overall objective is to overthrow this evil regime and promote
democratic ideals and spirit of pluralism in Iraq, based on the
concept of total respect of human rights for all Iraqis,
regardless of their sex, gender, race, ethnicity, religious and
political beliefs. The return of Iraq to its normal and respectful
status among the community of nations is also one of the major
objectives of the Coalition.

In the midst of the most gruesome
and shocking conditions that our Iraqi people endure, and
following a year of relentless work, the Coalition held its first
National Conference in London, in March 2001. Present at the
Conference were the Coalition’s founding members, as well as
regional representative from Iraq, Middle East, Europe, the United
States of America and Canada. Many prominent independent Iraqis
and leading members of other Iraqi opposition groups, attended the
conference as observers,

Following three days of intensive
discussions and political debates, the conference went on to
endorse unanimously the amended draft constitution, reports and
documents. A final communiqué and a number of resolutions were
also adopted, in which the delegates
reaffirmed that the people of Iraq are the Coalition’s prime
concern, and that a prompt action is needed, to protect them from
their endless tragedy.

They further reaffirmed the
peaceful transition of power, political pluralism and the
separation of powers, military, in particular, from the future
political establishment. The final communiqué also confirmed the
necessity of having an effective judiciary system, civil
liberties, religious freedoms, freedom of expression, the rights
of Iraqi women and the legitimate national, political, religious,
cultural and administrative rights of Turkomans and Assyrians. The
delegates considered these as essential pillars of a future
democratic, representative and unified Iraq.

The Iraqi National Coalition
reaffirms, that the only acceptable political solution to the
Kurdish question is Federalism as the most effective system
of government, to bring about a lasting peace, harmony and
tranquillity to all Iraqi people.

Finally, the Iraqi National
Coalition Leadership was elected democratically, for a period of
four years, to embark on the following Programme of Action:

1. A joint military command
structure, to co-ordinate military operations against the regime
which is to be led by, Iraqi military officers inside and
outside Iraq, most of whom are well known within the Iraqi Armed
Forces, as well as representatives of paramilitary and
resistance forces currently operating within the country.

2. Establish, through radio,
satellite television and newspapers, a direct link with the
people of Iraq, to ensure that the propaganda machine of the
regime is counter-balanced by clear, concise and thorough
analyses of Iraq’s relations with the rest of the world. To
also present to the people of Iraq a democratic alternative to
the current regime, with precise policies to rescue the country
from economic, social and political disintegration.

3. Establish through the
Internet, a direct link with the people of the world to enable a
clear presentation of our national cause. This will enable us to
make a precise distinction between the Iraqi people and the
Iraqi regime, often missing in media reports about Iraq.

4. Establish a research and
legal body to prepare an indictment of Saddam Hussein and his
evil clique, for war crimes and crimes committed against
humanity, including rape, torture, ethnic cleansing, and the use
of weapon of mass destruction against the neighbours and his own
people, in order to be presented before the International War
Crimes Tribunal at Hague or elsewhere. Our efforts in this field
will further enhance the work of other similar and
well-respected organisations, such as the INDICT.

The Iraqi National Coalition’s
relations with other Iraqi opposition groups:

Iraq is a multi-national, ethnic,
cultural and religious society. We strongly believe in political
pluralism in achieving our aims and objectives. The Coalition
recognises the right of any Iraqi to join or participate in any
non-violent, political organisation. The Coalition strongly
believes that individuals and groups have the right to establish
their own political parties and to compete with each other
democratically. The Iraqi opposition is a spectrum of political
opinions and beliefs.

There is no question that the
Iraqi opposition differ in its approach to the ways and means of
its struggle to achieve its long awaited objective.

In spite of many differences, it
is worth noting, that since the establishment of our organisation,
we have maintained a mutual, friendly and healthy relationship
with the majority of Iraqi groups of diverse political views and
opinions, driven by a common desire to seek and create United
Opposition against Saddam’s regime.

The Iraqi National Coalition
strongly rejects the claims that the Iraqi opposition is an
ethnic, sectarian, religious and tribal rivalry. We strongly
believe that such claims are the Iraqi regime’s propaganda
intended to weaken the will power of the Iraqi people and to
discourage regional Arab and Islamic states and the Western
countries from providing the Iraqi opposition with the essential
means and necessary support, in order to topple the dictatorship
in Iraq.

The Coalition recognises that a
divided opposition has only strengthened the grip of Saddam
Hussein over the people of Iraq.
The Coalition firmly believes, that even as significant
differences persist in its priorities for the long-term struggle
against Saddam’ regime, it is of the utmost importance that
there is trust, respect and mutual understanding amongst the Iraqi
opposition groups.

In this critical time and
increased tension between the USA and Iraq, over the United
Nations Weapon Inspectors and the unforeseen emergencies, it is
extremely important for the Iraqi opposition movement to put the
interest of our beloved country, Iraq, above party politics. It
must now start re-examining its priorities and interests and
resolve its divisions and disputes, in order to co-ordinate its
political activities toward a greater level of unity and for the
creation of a Unified Iraqi Front. This would enhance the
existing endeavours directed towards toppling the murderous regime
of Saddam Hussein, in order to bring about the early liberation of
Iraq and the restoration of the country’s sovereignty and our
people’s dignity. The opposition’s sense of unity, however
tentative, may well be tested in the coming months or weeks.

The Iraqi National Coalition,
therefore, appeals to all opponents of Saddam’s regime, to put
the long-standing political disputes and differences aside, as we
firmly believe that those differences seem less urgent and
perceptive now. Let us discuss and determine the terms of our
future co-ordination, co-operation and mobilisation of our efforts
and operations inside Iraq, to dispose of Saddam’s evil regime. We
urge the world community to help rid our country of the Weapons of
Mass Destruction.

The Iraqi National Coalition is
determined to continue and intensify the just struggle of our
people, side-by-side and shoulder to shoulder with other Iraqi
opposition groups in partnership with the Iraqi Army to overthrow
and uproot this barbaric and most hated regime, and to establish
the rule of law within a democratic alternative, which grants our
people their human rights and their dignity. By doing so, the
peace and stability in the region will be preserved .

Let us together make the New Year
a year of mutual reconciliation in order to achieve fundamental
political changes in our homeland. Changes that require our
sustained commitment and vigorous efforts to uphold the spirit of
co-existence and the democratic ideals in a new peaceful Iraq.

The Iraqi National Coalition’s
position on U.N. Security Council’s sanctions against Iraq:

Saddam’s regime claims that more
than a million Iraqis have died because of the sanctions. The
Coalition wishes to shade some light on this rather important
subject.

Sanctions were imposed on Iraq in
the wake of Saddam’s invasion of Kuwait in August 1990 in
accordance with the UN Security Council Resolution (661). In April
1991 resolution (687) was passed, setting out the conditions for
lifting those sanctions.

Due to the regime’s
non-compliance with the UN resolutions, the sanctions were not
lifted. Millions of our Iraqi people continued to suffer,
while, Saddam and his clique continued to prosper. This is in
addition to more than a million Iraqis who have been killed in
Saddam’s wars of aggression, executed in prisons cleansing or
massacred during the uprising and the genocide campaign against
the Kurds, Shiite, Marsh Arabs Turkomans and Assyrians.

The United Nations urged the Iraqi
regime to make arrangements to sell oil in return for food,
medical and other humanitarian equipment. For more than five years
the Iraqi regime refused the offer, and insisted on its infamous
policies of "Defy and comply," and "cheat and
retreat," while the people of Iraq continued to suffer.

Under the terms of the 1995 UN SCR
(986), oil-for-food programme, the Iraqi regime is required to
provide a food ration for the Iraqi population. The Iraqi brutal
regime deliberately diverts supplies from the south to limit the
Shiite population’s access to food, medicine and drinking water.
According to the U.N. Special Rapporteur, thousands of people from
the south province were denied rations that should have been
supplied under the oil-for-food programme.

Access for food is used to reward
the regime’s supporters and starve and silence its opponents.
According to many reliable UN sources, the Iraqi regime is known
to have been selling oil illegally, and is actually exporting
food, even though the Iraqi people are malnourished. Baby milk
sold to Iraq through the oil-for-food programme, essential foods,
including rice and dates and millions of Dollars worth of
medicines and medical supplies and equipment meant for the needy
Iraqis, have been found in markets throughout the Gulf, African
and Asian countries.

This, surely, demonstrates that
the Iraqi regime is once again, deliberately depriving the Iraqis
of much needed food and medicines in order to make illicit profit.

We firmly believe, that the
corrupt Iraqi regime deliberately failed to safe guard the
interests and the well being of our people. Saddam’s main
concern was, and still is, to build many more palaces, amusement
parks, and vacation resorts, for himself, and his cronies, as well
as the rebuilding of Internationally Banned, Weapons of Mass
Destruction.

Whilst the Coalition is opposed to
the continued use of sanctions against Iraq, because of their
devastating effect on the people of Iraq, it is fully appreciative
of the political reasoning behind such sanctions, which aims to
weaken the existing dictatorship.

It has become crystal clear that
whilst the regime of Saddam remains in power, the people of Iraq
continue to suffer. The Coalition regards the regime’s
incompliance with the UN Security Council’s resolutions as a
natural extension of the regime’s internal policy of repression
and violation of basic human and democratic rights.

For years, the United Nations
Human Rights Commission strongly condemned massive violations of
gravest nature of human rights by Saddam’s regime. Human rights
organisations as well as many governmental institutions have
documented extensive abuses by the regime, against our people.

Mr Max Van der Stole, the former
United Nations Human Rights Commission’s Special Investigator
into human rights violations in Iraq, stated and warned in his
recommendation to the Commission that "evidence against
Saddam is mounting by the ton, supporting charges that he has
committed crimes against humanity." He further stated,
"in my view, this exceptionally grave situation demands an
exceptional response, specifically, sending
to Iraq a team of human rights monitors who would remain there
until the human rights situation is drastically improved."

We, therefore, strongly appeal to
the international community to honour its obligation and
commitment and exercise its rights to implement U.N Security
Council’s Resolutions (688) and (949), which demands that the
Iraqi government immediately ends the repression of Iraqi
civilians and give immediate access to the international
humanitarian aid organisations so that they can reach those in
need of assistance in all parts of Iraq and the prevention of the
Iraqi Republican Guards and heavy military apparatus from
threatening our Iraqi population in the North and South of the
country, respectively.

Should the Iraqi regime fails once
again to comply, then the UNSC must take appropriate measures to
secure and ensure Iraqi regime’s compliance. This can be
achieved, through shifting the afore-mentioned UNSC resolutions to
chapter seven of the UN charter.

We strongly believe that Saddam’s
regime of terror is ultimately responsible for the continuous
suffering of our Iraqi people.

Iraqi National Coalition and the
global mobilisation against terrorism:

The Iraqi National Coalition
strongly condemns the barbaric and cowardly acts of terrorism on
September 11, 2001 in New York and Washington, against innocent
civilians. We are deeply saddened by the loss of so many innocent
lives. It was a brutal and terrible act against humanity carried
out in the name of religion. We would like to state that the
atrocity of September 11, which was committed by a cult of
terrorists, is a violation of Islamic law and its noble ethics.
We extend our deepest condolences to the people of the United
States of America, in general, and those who have either lost a
family member or a friend, or are hurt physically or emotionally
elsewhere.

The Iraqi National Coalition
affirms that the fight against the evil of terrorism and
the fight against those who perpetrate, support or assist such
acts with sole purpose of killing innocent civilians and who
undermine the safety and security of any human being regardless of
their nationality, race, colour, age or religion, is a
necessary and a just fight.

The Iraqi National Coalition
firmly supports the International Community’s commitment for
global alliance war against terror networks and for world peace
and stability. We shall assist and support any national or
international efforts to combat any form of evil caused by the
forces of destruction, in order to maintain peace and security to
all mankind.

The Iraqi National coalition
supports the people of Afghanistan’s struggle for freedom and
democracy. We would like to extend our profound appreciation to
their new political leaders for the peaceful transition of
power, and wish the people of Afghanistan, regardless of their
ethnic, political and religious diversity, unity, lasting peace, a
stable future and economic prosperity.

The Iraqi National Coalition
strongly urges the United Nations to provide the people of
Afghanistan with the most needed relief and humanitarian aid as
well as the rebuilding, reconstruction and the development of
Afghanistan. We would also like to urge the United Nations to keep
its commitment, to play a vital role in encouraging and supporting
the Afghanistan’s political leadership for the creation of a
broad-based and multi ethnic government.

It is worth pointing out, that in
order to lower regional tensions, wipe out terrorist networks, and
maintain lasting peace and stability in our world, it is extremely
vital, that such constructive measures should be implemented
elsewhere, particularly, in Iraq where dictatorship and terrorism
are prevailing.

Therefore, in order to stop and
combat future acts of terrorism, and make the world a safer place,
we simply and humbly suggest that the international community acts
immediately to implement the following:

1. Halt the sale of arms,
military technology and equipments to all countries ruled by
dictatorship, oppressive and primitive regimes.

2. Increase collaboration
through confidence, building relationship between all nations
regardless of their nationality, culture, race and religion.

3. International Intelligence
Coalition is highly recommended for establishing and
maintaining, a network of mutual, up-to-date information
exchange, through human intelligence co-operation and
co-ordination.

4. Universal promotion of
democratic ideals and spirit of ecumenical pluralism, and the
international mobilisation, against totalitarian, oppressive and
brutal regimes in support of peace and the rule of law.

5. Support morally and assist,
financially, the oppressed and deprived people of all nations
and, in particular, people of the developing countries in order
to create opportunities for employment, education, health and
social services. Thus, enabling them to live in peace, security
and prosperity.

6. Promoting dialogue,
tolerance, mutual understanding and co-existence among all the
major world religions under the auspices of the United Nations.

9. Safeguarding the interests
and the well being of all national, indigenous, ethnic, cultural
and religious minorities worldwide.

10. Preventing moral and
financial support from reaching all radical and extremist
religious schools and scholars, regardless of
their faith or religion, who are found to be teaching and
preaching, hatred, enmity, revulsion, violence, intolerance and
discrimination.

Iraqi National Coalition’s views
on the USA’s next phase in the war on terrorism and the threats
of new confrontation with Iraq.

In light of the tragic events of
September 11, and the ever mounting evidences of the Iraqi regime’s
involvement in those events, including the reports of meetings
between the Iraqi intelligence agents and government officials
with the September 11 terrorists, the Coalition strongly believes
that the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein is connected directly, or
indirectly, to these recent terrorist acts. We further believe
that if such crimes are to be left unpunished, a terrible
injustice will have been perpetrated upon the survivors of these
crimes, along with their families. The suffering of the victims
will not have been honoured and redeemed by the peace loving
people of this world.

For years it has been an open
secret among the world community, and a public knowledge for our
people, that the Iraqi regime has supported terrorist network
activities, both nationally and internationally. In the past Iraq
harboured, trained and facilitated many radical and fundamentalist
Middle Eastern terrorist groups. Our reliable sources inside Iraq
confirm that terrorist groups, including extremists, radicals and
fundamentalists from as far as Pakistan to North Africa, are
receiving training on assassination, explosives making and planes
hijacking, in special camps outside the capital city, Baghdad.

The Iraqi regime has been engaged
in a dangerous, alarming, and comprehensive programme of producing
weapons of mass destruction. In their testimonies, Several Iraqi
defectors gave details of the precise locations of new Iraqi sites
for producing and maintaining deadly chemical weapons such as
Mustard gas, Tabun, Sarin, VX and biological agents, including,
Anthrax, Botulinum, Ricin, Gas Gangrene, Wheat Smut and Aflatoxin.
These lethal, poisonous and internationally banned chemical and
germ agents, were tested on Iraqi political prisoners and war
deserters and subsequently used against the Iraqi civilian
population and the Iraqi neighbours, respectively.

Our dependable sources, can also
confirm, that since UN Arms Inspectors had been expelled from Iraq
three years ago, the Iraqi regime is known to have deviously tried
very hard, with the help and assistance of several Western and
Asian scientists, to rebuild and develop a sophisticated nuclear
programme with objectives of producing arsenal of nuclear bombs
and missiles designed to deliver the deadly warheads.

Saddam’s regime poses a serious
and dangerous threat, not only to the Iraqi people, but also to
the very peace and stability in the region and the world community
at large.

It is quite clear that this danger
cannot be eliminated as long as Saddam, and his savage regime,
remain in power, and as long as the international community’s
objective is simply the "CONTAINMENT" of this evil
regime.

We are convinced, that the Iraqi
regime will not comply with UNSC resolutions, and seriously
believe that Saddam’s regime will seek to acquire and develop
Weapons of Mass Destruction including Chemical and Biological
Agents, which Saddam will not hesitate to use whenever or wherever
possible.

Saddam’s regime is in breach of
the international law and indeed of every article of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights. Baghdad rulers are bunch of criminals
and gang of outlaws. The Iraqi people must not continue to live
with fear of punishment, reprisals, harassments and intimidation
by the regime’s apparatus. It is therefore, the duty and
responsibility of the International Community to take serious
steps, and prompt action to stop Saddam’s regime from
indiscriminately killing our Iraqi people and to put an end to its
consistent threats and hostilities against Iraq’s neighbours. We
believe, that the time has come to put an end to our people’s
predicament.

Despite the fact, that the future
of Iraq will be determined, to a large extent, by the Iraqi people
and their political leaders, we still feel that the United States
of America, the United Kingdom, and the world community,
respectively, have moral responsibilities towards helping the
oppressed people of Iraq in their calamity.

It is worth mentioning, that in
the past, the Iraqi people responded positively to Washington’s
call for an uprising against the regime. The popular uprising of
our people was savagely suppressed and brutally crushed, without
America’s intervention. Therefore, the Iraqi people are weary
and suspicious of the undeclared tasks and unclear forthcoming USA’s
policy in Iraq.

We would like to put it bluntly
and make it very clear, that if the government of the United
States of America authentically believes that Saddam’s regime of
terror cannot be trusted, and seriously accepts, that as long as
it is in power, there will be no peace and stability in the
region, this would mean that there is a clear intention, and
serious consideration by the US administration and its allies for
a comprehensive political change in Iraq. The Iraqi National
Coalition, and in fact the Iraqi people in general, would welcome
such American initiative, and would urge the USA to provide
essential political, logistical, financial and indeed, military
support, to assist the Iraqi people to overthrow Saddam’s regime
and to establish the democratic alternative.

We strongly believe, that
extremely aggressive steps are needed to root out Saddam’s
terror in Iraq. If sincerely encouraged and adequately supported,
the Iraqi Army in conjunction with the Iraqi opposition forces,
will play a pivotal role in this endeavour, in order to put an end
to our dilemma.

The Iraqi National Coalition and
its vision for peace in Middle East:

The Iraqi National Coalition
strongly believes that peace and stability in the Middle East
cannot be achieved as long as there are corrupt, totalitarian and
fundamentalist governments in the region.

In order to avert major civil
unrests, conflicts, hostilities, and the threat of all-out
catastrophic wars in the Middle East, the international community
should immediately embark in addressing and resolving
democratically and peacefully all issues concerning the plight of
the national, ethnic, cultural, and religious minorities and to
safeguard their interests within
the spirit of pluralism.

We should also like to state that
fanatics and extremist groups, regardless of their faith, which
are operating in the Middle East, and oppose the peaceful
co-existence and insist on their believes in the concept of
"conflicts of civilisation" rather than "shared
civilisation" should be excluded from playing any political
role in the region’s future.

As for the Palestinians and
Israelis, we believe that there is no immediate answer to their
complicated political conflict. However we believe that there are
possibilities of meeting each other at the level of political,
cultural and religious understanding and the recognition of both
people’s right to existence on equal basis rights and through a
comprehensive dialogue, tolerance, democratic process. The serious
involvement of the international community in the region could
finally bring a just and lasting peace for all the parties
concerned. We urge the international community to help improve the
appalling living conditions of the Palestinians in the autonomous
region.

The Iraqi National Coalition
supports the Revival of Middle East Peace Process at both
leadership and civil society organisations to create an atmosphere
conductive to the resumption of meaningful and fruitful
negotiations for a peaceful co-existence. We
believe that the way forward can only be achieved through mutual
recognition of pain and suffering of both sides.

Finally, in order to push towards
permanent peace and real partnership in the region, the Iraqi
National Coalition, appeals to the international community, to
support the peace process and pay serious consideration for the
creation of a Palestinian State, through a peaceful dialogue
between both parties.